The Melaniff Family Cookbook
Barbecue Pork Ribs
Preparation
Yield. 2 adult servings
Preparation time. 15 minutes minimum. 10 minutes to skin 'n' trim, 5 minutes to rub, overnight dry rub marinating is optional.
Cooking time. 3 hours minimum. Cooking low and slow at about 225°F, so allow 5 to 6 hours for St. Louis Cut ribs and 3 to 4 hours for baby back ribs. Thicker, meatier slabs take longer, and if you use rib holders so they are crammed close to each other, add another hour.
Set grill to 225°F. If you have a gas grill, use only one burner. Put a disposable aluminum pan with water on top of the hot burner(s). If it has only one burner, put the water pan between the meat and the burner. If you have a Weber kettle, put about half a chimney of unlit coals in the grill and put about half a chimney of fully lit coals on top to get to 225°F.
Total time. 3 to 4 hours for baby backs, 5 to 6 hours for spare ribs and St. Louis Cut ribs.
Hardware
1 grill with a cover.
1 (18 pound) bag of charcoal for charcoal grills or smokers.
1 tank of propane for gas cookers.
8 ounces by weight of hardwood chips: apple, oak, or hickory chips
1 pair of long handled tongs
1 sauce brush
1 digital oven thermometer
Software
1 slab of fresh St. Louis Cut ribs. That's 1/2 slab per adult. If you use baby back ribs, get a whole slab per adult.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons of Memphis Rib Rub or a similar spice rub
1 cup of homemade barbecue sauce or a good commercial barbecue sauce
Procedure
Rinse. Rinse the ribs in cool water to remove any bone bits from the butchering and any bacterial film that grew in the package (don't worry, cooking will sterilize the meat). Pat dry with paper towels.
Skin 'n' trim. If the butcher has not removed the membrane from the back side, do it yourself. It gets leathery and hard to chew, it keeps fat in, and it keeps smoke and sauce out. Insert a butter knife under the membrane, then your fingers, work a section loose, grip it with a paper towel, and peel it off. Finally, trim the excess fat from both sides. If you can't get the skin off, with a sharp knife, cut slashes through it every inch so some of the fat will render out during the cooking.
Rub. Coat the meat with a thin layer of vegetable oil because most of the flavorings in the rub are oil soluble, not water soluble. The oil will help the flavor get beyond the surface and help make the bark, the desired crust on the top. Sprinkle enough Memphis Rib Rub coat all surfaces but not so much that the meat doesn't show through. That is about 2 tablespoons per side depending on the size of the slab, rub it in, and let it sit in the fridge for about an hour.
Start up your cooker for 2-Zone or indirect cooking.
Adjust the temp. Preheat your cooker to about 225°F and try to keep it there throughout the cook. This is crucial.
On a charcoal grill, adjust the air intake dampers at the bottom to control heat on charcoal grills. Intake dampers are more effective than exhaust dampers for controlling the temp because they reduce the supply of oxygen to the coals. Take your time getting the temp right. Cooking at 225°F will allow the meat to roast low and slow, liquefying the collagen in connective tissues and melting fats without getting the proteins knotted in a bunch. It's a magic temp that creates silky texture, adds moisture, and keeps the meat tender. If you can't hit 225°F, get as close as you can. Don't go under 200°F and try not to go over 250°F.
Smoke. For charcoal or gas cookers, add 4 ounces of wood at this time. On a gas grill, put the wood as close to the flame as possible. On a charcoal grill, put it right on the hot coals. Resist the temptation to add more wood. Nothing will ruin a meal faster and waste money better than over-smoked meat. You can always add more the next time you cook, but you cannot take it away if you over-smoke.
Relax. Put the slabs in the cooker on the indirect side of the grill, meaty side up.
More smoke. When the smoke dwindles after 20 to 30 minutes, add another 4 ounces of wood. That's it. Stop adding wood. If you have more than one slab on, halfway through the cook you will need to move the ribs closest to the fire away from the heat, and the slabs farthest from the flame in closer. Leave the meat side up. There is no need to flip the slabs. You can peek if you must, but don't leave the lid open for long.
The Texas Crutch. This trick involves wrapping the slab in foil with about 3 ounces of liquid such as apple juice, for up to an hour to speed cooking and tenderize a bit. Almost all competition cooks use the crutch to get an edge. Skip it and you'll still have killer ribs.
The bend test. Pork is one of the few meats on which you cannot use a thermometer because the bones have an impact on the meat temp and because the meat is so thin. Allow 5 to 6 hours for St. Louis Cut ribs and spare ribs, or 3 to 4 hours for baby back ribs. The exact time will depend on how thick the slabs are and how steady you have kept the temp. Check to see if they are ready. Use the bend test (a.k.a. the bounce test). Pick up the slab with tongs and bounce it gently. If the surface cracks, it is ready.
Sauce. Now paint both sides with your favorite home made barbecue sauce or store-bought sauce and put it directly over the hottest part of the grill in order to caramelize and crisp the sauce. On a charcoal grill, just move the slab over the coals. On a gas grill, remove the water pan and crank up all the burners. With the lid open so you don't roast the meat from above, sizzle the sauce on one side and then the other. Stand by your grill and watch because sweet sauce can go from caramelized to carbonized in less than a minute! One coat of a thick sauce should be enough, but if you need two, go ahead, but no more! Don't hide all the fabulous flavors under too much sauce. If you think you'll want more sauce, put some in a bowl on the table.
If you've done all this right, you will notice that there is a thin pink layer beneath the surface of the meat. This does not mean it is undercooked! It is the highly prized smoke ring caused by the combustion gases and the smoke.